Stateside
by Dixons-finest-vixen
Summary: This is going to be a series of one shots that can be read together or independently of each other. They will involve my OC, Snafu, and Sledge, after the latter two return home. I wanted one that was different than 'Sledge and Snafu get back and hook up a lot.' I know they share a bond but with how Snafu was on the train, I just wanted to give him a little female companionship.


**So this is a one shot (my first) and it's about Snafu. I hope that you like it. I would like to preface this by saying this is SOLELY about the character, not the real man. The real Merriel Shelton grew up, married a nice lady named Gladys, and fixed air conditioners for a living. This is just so I can write about Rami Malek's character. Unfortunately, I don't own the character, that belongs to the creator's of The Pacific.**

**I'm saying he gets home in February because the war in Japan ended in August, and he did a plus six months in the show. Anyways, here it is, hope you like it.**

**Also, I'm not sure how to spell his name because I keep seeing it with one 'l', and with two. I just went one because I believe that's how it was in the book.**

It had been too long since she had seen him. 1943, and now here it was, 1946. She had worried about him every day that he was gone, even if she didn't show it. She had written to him, not expecting to get any replies, and he didn't let her down there. But still, she had kept writing. And she had prayed for him, going to church every Sunday, asking that God up in Heaven keep her marine safe while he was over in Hell.

She had him back now. He had finally written to her, one short letter, if you could even call it that. '_Coming home, finishing my plus six, be back in February. –Merriel Shelton'_.

She thought that his time overseas would be the longest wait she'd ever endured, but knowing that he was coming home, waiting for February to mosey it's way on in, she thought she would lose her mind.

She had made her way to the train station every day starting on the fifteenth. She would ask around if anyone had seen him, stay until it was dark, maybe a bit longer, and then head back home. And then finally, on the twenty-seventh, she had heard the most glorious sound.

"Hello there, Miss Genevieve," she had heard him drawl out in his thick southern accent.

She had spun, and her breath caught. She felt her heart swelling and shattering all at once.

He was standing there, stoically waiting on the platform amongst the others climbing off of the train, many of them in uniforms of some kind; Navy, Marines, and Army alike.

She walked towards him, her pretty lilac dress seeming to be a deeply carefree contrast to his dress greens, in their immaculate condition. She smiled up at him, standing just over six foot in his dress shoes, while she herself stood at roughly five foot six, and that was in her crème high-heels.

He looked beautiful in his uniform, rucksack slung over his shoulder, cover on his head at an angle. But his face looked different somehow. She quickly identified that it was his eyes. They had seen horrors she could never imagine and seemed to have dulled slightly. He gave her his usual arrogant smirk all the same as she approached.

"Hey stranger," she said to him.

"Hey ya'self," he replied.

Genevieve smiled shyly up at him, and raised her arms slightly. "May I?"

He scoffed. "Don' tell me you done went and gone all proper on me while I was gone. Neva' had ta ask me before, ain't gotta start askin' me now." He stooped to pick her up around the waist, lifting her up into the air.

She clutched tightly around his neck, out of both excitement and fear of him dropping her suddenly as he was wont to do.

"Oh Lord, I'm so glad you're back," she spoke quietly into his ear, before she gave him a light kiss on the cheek.

"I'm glad ta be back," he replied, and then slid his hands down her back to give her derrière a squeeze.

Genevieve squealed, wiggling out of his grasp to land on the station platform. She smacked him across the shoulder.

"Merriel Shelton, you are a scoundrel and have no proper respect for women."

He grinned his smug grin. "Course I respect women. My hands was ova' ya skirt, not under it."

She rolled her eyes, turning to head back across the platform.

"Ah, c'mon now Gen, don't be that way," he said, taking a step towards her to grab her hand.

She stopped, and turned back to face him. "And why shouldn't I be that way," she asked him slyly.

He smiled. "'Cause I won't do that again to ya, promise. Least not in public," he said with a wink.

She shook her head but allowed a smile to break the stony line of her mouth. He draped his arm over her shoulder. "C'mon. Let's go get us somethin' ta eat. Ya know, they didn't have not one pot 'a gumbo over there?"

"Well that's because they didn't have anyone to make it with all the right magic, obviously," she told him as they passed through an archway and out into the colorfully lit street beyond.

The stars were winking up above and the air held all of the familiar scents and sights and sounds she was so used to; the dirty alleys in between the buildings, the food kiosks, a different restaurant on every corner, people all crowding the streets, musicians all outside, every few feet, playing different tunes that all jumbled together into the lively song that was New Orleans.

Merriel inhaled deeply beside her before letting out a satisfied noise. "Missed ev'ry bit 'a this."

"Well, you're home now, you don't ever have to miss it again if you don't want to," Gen told him.

They walked along through the crowds that filled the sidewalks. He lead them along as he always had before, still remembering every turn as though they had last been together yesterday, not three years past.

He stopped them at a small doorway halfway down a familiar street, holding the door for them to step in.

When the young woman behind the register noticed them, she gave a scream of delight.

"Ah, lord up above, I musta done died and gone to Heaven. Or maybe ta Hell, seein' as Merriel Shelton just walked in our doors. MAMA," she called, rushing out from behind the counter, leaving it to two younger boys who shared her nose and complexion.

Gen stepped aside, allowing the woman, who was just about her own age, to embrace Merriel.

"Claudia, you just get prettier and prettier ev'ry time I see you." A thick woman came bustling out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on a stained black apron.

"Dia, what is all that racket? We got customers waiting on us, so you best get your self back behind th-" She stopped short, seeing Merriel.

"God bless it all," she said, also abandoning the counter to the two boys still behind it.

"Ev'nin' Miss Celia."

"Boy, don't you 'ev'nin' Miss Celia,' me. You get over here and gimme a hug."

Following her orders, Merriel stooped, giving the squat old woman the hug she demanded before she pulled back.

"Jameson, you give this boy anything he asks for," Miss Celia called over her shoulder to one of the boys.

"Thank ya," Merriel said to the woman, who was busy fussing over his uniform, babbling on about all that had happened since he'd been gone. Gen waited quietly to the side, allowing him to catch up with the familiar face.

Miss Celia had always been sweet to all of the kids Gen had grown up with, even if she would be the first to get you back in line when you misbehaved. She was a fixture in the neighborhood that everyone knew, and that knew everyone.

Genevieve had been in the little shop several times now when newly returned soldiers would come wandering in for a fresh bowl of her special gumbo, an order of her spiced craw fish, or selection of her fried catfish and jalapeño hush puppies.

Each time, Miss Celia had greeted every one of them like one of her own children, reminiscing about them when they were little and questioning how they were doing now that they were older. Merriel was no different.

They were in the steaming shop for near an hour, and Gen laughed as Miss Celia continued to stuff food onto their table, to make Merriel eat 'just a bit more of this', or 'a bite of that', attempting to put some meat on his bones.

She was just as sweet to Gen as she always had been, making sure that neither of them was left wanting. Gen was able to politely refuse food when she though she might burst. The man across from her however looked likely to empty his stomach there on the table if he had to eat much more.

"Woman, you betta' do somethin'. Quit just sittin' there laughin. I can't eat no mo'," he hissed at her, once Miss Celia and Claudia had retreated to help take care of other customers and to fetch Merriel and herself a desert.

Gen just smiled. "Well, maybe if you asked me politely," she antagonized.

His look said that he was less than amused.

When Miss Celia returned, Gen smiled sweetly up at her.

"Miss Celia, thank you so much for all of this, but I promised my daddy that I'd bring Merriel by whenever he finally made it back, and it's starting to get late. Maybe we could come back by tomorrow?"

She looked like she was going to protest, but Merriel stood.

"I promise, I'll stop by sometime soon, once I fu'filled all of my visitational obligations," he told her, bending to plant a kiss lightly on her cheek.

"Alright, well you best make sure you do. You too, baby," she said to Gen.

"Yes ma'am." They waved a goodbye before making their way back out onto the street.

Merriel let out a groan. "I survived all of that fighting over there 'gainst the Japs, just ta have Miss Celia kill me with kindness."

Gen laughed. "I'm sure you could think of worse ways to go." She bit her lip then, realizing how that sounded. She looked up at Merriel.

He avoided her eyes, looking like he was no longer on the New Orleans sidewalk. "Yeah, probably could."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to say that. I, I just, I didn't think about it."

He shook his head, eyes returning to her. "'S no problem." He looked forward then, hands in his pockets. "So, how's ya daddy? Isn't it a little late for us ta be visitin'?"

Genevieve chuckled. "Oh, we're not goin to see Daddy. Not tonight anyways."

Merriel raised an eyebrow at her. "Oh really? And jus' where are we goin' then?"

"You'll see when we get there," she told him, for once the smug one. She turned to the left.

"Ooh, looks like you done went bad while I was gone," he told her.

She laughed, shaking her head. "I didn't say what we were doing, or where we were going, just that we weren't goin to my house. So you can just get rid of any ideas you might be getting about what we might be doin," Gen told him.

"I don' know whatcha talkin' about, LeRosio, I wan't gettin any ideas," Merriel said, causing her to wrinkle her nose in annoyance.

"That ain't my name, and you know it." Genevieve's name was an unfortunate victim of alliteration that many had loved to play with, especially after Merriel had heard it the first time.

"Genevieve Rose Leroux Du Champ," he had said, drawing out the syllables. "Seems a little bit unnecessary," he teased, speaking of a name referencing a red flower in combination with a name referencing red hair. He had continued, "Might as well call you Genevieve Rose LeRosio. Both mean the same thing." From then on, she had been LeRosio.

Back in the present, he was chuckling. Gen huffed. "It ain't funny, Mary."

He laughed harder. "I been called worse than that," he told her as she continued leading them down the road.

She crossed her arms over her chest, speeding her steps so that she was in front of him and increasing in distance.

"Aw, you ain't mad are ya? C'mon. I didn't mean it Gen."

"That's twice you managed to be just downright rude and you ain't even been back a day, so you just go right on to Hell Merriel Shelton," she told him smartly, heels clicking on the sidewalk.

He dropped his rucksack and jogged a little, coming up behind her. She let out an involuntary scream and threw an arm around his neck as he swept her knees out from under her, holding her up against his chest as he walked back to get his bag.

"You put me down right now. I'm mad at you," she fumed as she struggled to break out of his grip.

"I know ya are, that's why I ain't gonna putcha down 'til ya say ya ain't mad no more." He reached where he dropped his rucksack.

"Well I'm just getting' more mad at ya, so put me down right now." He shook his head.

"Sorry, can' do that. 'Cause if I put ya down, you still gonna be mad at me, but you gonna be able to get away. Now quit wigglin' around so much before I drop ya right on yo' pretty little ass," he commanded as he squatted down, locking her still struggling against his chest with his knees and right arm while he picked up his sack with his left.

Hoisting her up, he stood and continued down the sidewalk.

She glared at him as she struggled. "I hate you, you bastard. Now put me down right now. People are staring." They were. Several people still milling about on the sidewalks near them had looked, seeming amused by the spectacle.

"No," he told her simply.

"I mean it Mere, put me down and leave me alone. I don't wanna even look at your ugly mug."

He looked down intensely at her. "No. I ain't. Ain't puttin' ya down, ain't leavin' ya alone. Not anymore."

She stared back at him, surprised by how quickly his demeanor had changed. She was left wondering about it.

"C'mon Mere, put me down. I'll walk," she told him, her anger subsiding, not that she had actually been mad. That was their relationship. He bugged her, she pretended it bothered her, he made up, and then did something annoying again.

"What if I still say no," he asked her challengingly.

"Then you're gonna have a real tough time getting through that doorway," she told him, motioning to a large two story house up ahead.

It was red brick, surrounded by black iron fencing. The lights were on and there appeared to be multiple people moving about inside.

He set her upright, allowing her to adjust her dress, before heading up along the sidewalk.

"What's this," he inquired.

"Nothing. Just quit asking questions," she told him with a mockingly stern voice.

He shouldered his bag more securely and followed her up the walkway.

She knocked, waiting nervously beside him. The door was pulled open.

As soon as she recognized her, the woman in the doorway beamed. "Gen," she squealed, pulling her into a hug. She pulled back, looking Merriel up and down. "Well, I can see why you stopped off here."

"Good ta see you too, Stella," Merriel said of his old neighbor. "You move?"

"Sort of," Stella said with an eye roll. "Mama thought it'd be a good idea to open us up a little boarding house for all the boys coming back home who don't wanna go back to livin' with their mama's and daddy's. Course, after Mama got sick, she had to stay home. So I had to take it over, and I'm a bit less strict on the activities that go on here," she said with an evil glint in her eyes.

Merriel looked down at Gen. "Really?"

Gen blushed. "Have you got a room or no? Shelton here is pretty tired."

"Yeah, I got a couple. Come on."

She led them up the staircase, past several other men milling about, as well as the ladies that were keeping them occupied.

Stella stopped at the last door on the right, pushing it open, poking at the light switch, and stepping aside before gesturing inside. "No one beside you, no one across from you. Enjoy your stay Soldier," she said with a wink before leaving them alone.

Gen followed Merriel into the room, quietly pushing the door closed behind them.

It was a nice room. The walls were painted white, and the floor was light hardwood. The full sized bed was covered in a baby blue comforter, with matching white and blue flowered pillows and a white iron frame. The curtains were the color of sapphires. There was a pale nightstand on either side of the bed, and a matching dresser on the same wall as the window. On the wall opposite the bed was a small brown desk with a matching chair and a lamp.

Gen held her right arm in her left, rubbing it nervously. "There's a bathroom just down the hall. Stella showed me around when her mama first bought it. Did you wanna shower or shave or anything? I know you were probably on that train a while."

He shook his head, dropping his rucksack beside the bed. "Showered on the train." His eyes had a predatory gleam in them as he turned back to face her. He took a step towards her, and she stepped back, leaning against the door.

"So, whatcha wanna come here fo'," he asked her as he continued stepping towards her.

"Whatcha mean," she asked him.

He was right in front of her.

"Well, way I see it, you live just as close to the station as you do to my house and this place. Why'd you wanna come here?" He was staring down at her and she could see his tongue rubbing at his back teeth as he gave a devilish grin.

"Because," she said.

He leaned down, hands bracing against the door on both sides of her body. His lips were right at her ear, and she could feel his breath ghosting over her skin.

"'Cause why?"

"You know why," she answered through heavy breath. She turned her face then, lips landing on his neck. He moaned into her hair.

His hands moved down her sides, sliding around to the back of her legs. He pulled her up to his waist, pushing her against the door as she wrapped her legs around him. His fingers gripped the edge of her dress, pulling it up to pool atop her thighs, and then started moving his fingers to explore her.

"Missed this," he whispered into her skin before he covered her neck with his lips as her head dropped back. She moaned in pleasure, and anticipation. It had been too long for her.

She pulled him closer, hands moving to his cover, which he hadn't removed yet. Tossing it onto the bed, she moved onto his hair, fingers twisting in his soft curls, holding him to her neck.

He moved his hips against her, and she moaned more loudly this time. "Mmm, Mere." She pulled herself up against him, creating more friction.

"Mm, mm, mm," Merriel said, pulling away from her neck. "You sure are eager. You in a hurry fo' somethin'?"

She bit her lip and shot him a look through her lashes. "Just a bit yeah," she replied.

Her hands moved down his stomach, working his brown leather belt out of its buckle. She tugged it out of its loops with some trouble, but eventually allowed it to fall just behind him before moving on to the buttons of his jacket.

"More than just a bit, I'd say," he told her in his laid back tone. He moved away from the door, holding her weight in his arms. She pulled closer to him, afraid of being dropped.

He crossed the room to the dresser. Setting her down on it, Merriel stepped away from her. Gen looked up at him, breathing heavily, eyes showing her confusion. Her lust too.

Instead of speaking, he drew his hands down his torso, undoing his buttons as he went. Taking off the jacket, he folded it neatly in half and laid it across the dresser beside her.

"Gotta take care of the uniform," he told her grinning, knowing that she was growing impatient.

He could see her worrying her bottom lip to keep from speaking, could see the white knuckled grip she had on the edge of the dresser, and he could see the look in her eyes, the one that said she didn't want to wait much longer.

He reached up loosening his tie before pulling it out of its knot, leaving it hanging around his neck. He toed off his shoes, careful not to scuff them. Reaching up to the buttons on his shirt, he sighed.

"Ya know, maybe I will go on ahead and wash up a little. It was a mighty long ride back here. Ain't had real runnin' water in a while. Might be nice," he told her nonchalantly.

"Don't. You. Dare." She glared at him in a way that had made lesser men quail before her. He just smirked.

"Or what," he inquired.

Genevieve stood, her high heels clicking on the floor as she hopped off of the dresser. He looked down at her as she approached, grin still in place.

Gen hooked her fingers in the waist of his uniform dress pants, tugging him closer to her. "Or else."

She moved her hands then, tugging the shirt loose all the way around his waist. She didn't look at him as she started undoing his buttons, starting from the bottom and slowly exposing his waist, his abs, his chest.

She ran a hand gently down his newly exposed skin, and then looked up into his eyes, pushing his shirt down off of his shoulders, tossing it off behind him onto the bed.

He was thinner than she remembered, not that he had been big to begin with, but it was clear; war had taken a toll on his body. What remained were hardened muscles attached to a long lean frame, darkened on faraway Pacific coasts, so that she couldn't tell what was tan and what was his natural olive skin.

His smirk had lessened and turned into a soft smile. She knew this was a genuine smile, the kind he often saved just for her. It was the kind that reached his eyes, without any hint of superiority or arrogance.

She wrapped her arms around his torso, laying her forehead against his smooth flesh and placing a kiss on him. She then leaned her body forward, pushing him back, steering him to the bed.

He sank down onto the edge when he felt the mattress against the back of his legs. Genevieve knelt before him, hands resting on his knees. She gently rubbed circles there, not in any hurry. Then she pushed her hands up his thighs, finding the button and zip to his trousers.

She was surprised to find him pushing at the material of his underwear already. He was just as eager as she was, even if he was the one doing the teasing about cutting things short.

She stared at him as she reached into his pants and pulled him out. His eyes had closed at her contact, his head dropping back just slightly. He groaned as she bent her head over him, taking him into her mouth.

She let her tongue swirl around his head slowly, savoring the feeling of his member fully hardening in her mouth, the cotton of his pants beneath her fingers as she clenched his thighs.

She sucked deeply, and pulled back so that barely any of him remained in her mouth, and then dropped her head back down, surrounding him once more. Continuing this way, she hummed gently against him.

"Damn, Gen," he croaked, accent thicker in his uninhibited state of lust, fingers twining into her auburn locks. "Damn, that's good. 'S real good."

She started working her tongue against him as she moved and she felt his fingers tighten, tugging at her roots.

"Ahhaa," he groaned. She moaned into him as he pulled her closer, moving more of himself into her mouth. He thrust into her.

She pulled back, gagging at the sudden addition. She glanced down as she coughed and saw his toes were curling against the floor in ecstasy.

"Hands off, Mere, unless you want me to start biting," she warned.

"Just keep goin'," he told her, leaning back onto his hands, looking down his torso at her.

She raised an eyebrow at his attitude.

"Please," he added with mock sincerity.

"See, manners matter," she told him before ducking down onto him once more.

The sounds of his heavy breathing filled the room once more, along with the noises of her ministrations. It wasn't a full minute later before he was panting heavily.

"Mmhmm, Genny Rose, just like that girl, just like that. Keep goin', keep goin' girl, don't you stop. God damn Gen, yeah."

She reached a hand up, cupping him in a way that had his mouth stuck in an 'O'. She started moving faster, wanting him to release, wanting to feel it as he filled her mouth. And she did.

He spilled his seed with a loud cry of, "Oh, holy fuck, Gen," his hands moving to her hair once more as he fell back against the comforter. As he shuddered, muscles tensing and relaxing rapidly, he slowly moved her head, keeping her moving until he was finished.

When he was, he stopped moving her, and instead began gently stroking his fingers through her hair. She pulled back, crawling up his body to rest on the bed with him, draped over his left side, chest to chest.

"God damn Genny, you been practicin' that?"

Gen rolled her eyes. "No, I'm just very naturally talented. It hurts that you don't have more faith in me."

It was true; she hadn't been with anyone else since he left. Sure, there were the things she had done alone, in the privacy of her own room. And she had been out on dates, a lot of them actually, but nothing that stuck. She just couldn't find the kind of relationship she had grown accustom to with Merriel. Then again, she wasn't looking too hard: Until she had confirmation that he wasn't coming home, Genevieve had elected to wait.

"You mean to tell me you ain't blown nobody in three years," he asked her as he tucked himself back into his underwear.

She blushed scarlet. "No, I haven't. I don't' make it a habit to have sex with strange men. And don't say it like that," she chastised.

Merriel laughed. "What, you don' like me askin' bout you givin' blowjobs."

"Shut up," she said, sitting up.

He sat up with her, throwing his right arm over to the bed beside her left hip. He leaned in to kiss her, but she turned her head.

"Aww, you mad again." He ran his hand over her thigh. "It may take some gettin' used to for some things, but I ain't lost my touch for that," he said with a grin.

She pushed his hand off. "I can tell. You're doin' really well today," she said with a half glare.

He bent down, kissing along her neckline, down onto the exposed tops of her breasts. He ran his tongue along the warm flesh he found there.

"C'mon, don't be mad. You know I'm jus' teasin' ya."

"I know," she breathed out, a little short of breath. She moved her hands to his hair, stroking the curls before tangling her fingers in it, squeezing, pulling his hair hard, directing his head up to face her.

He looked up at her, still leaning across her body. He was grinning innocently as she forced him to look at her.

"Yes?"

"It's my turn," she told him, pushing him aside to stand up.

She reached behind her, first untying the belt around her waist, and then moved to her side to pull her zipper down, releasing the fabric enough to pull her dress up over her head. When she dropped it, Merriel's eyes gleamed hungrily.

Gen was left standing in her heels, looming above him for once, in her matching peach bra, panties, and garter belt, hooked to her thigh high stockings.

He reached a hand out, running it across her hips, around her waist, back to rest on her round bottom. He tugged her closer, kissing across her stomach when she was within reach. She sat down, straddling his lap as she leaned in to kiss him.

He pulled them further up onto the bed before lying down, holding her to him. He rolled so that he was on top and sat up, one of her legs on either side of his.

She reached behind her, unclasping her bra. Merriel moved his hands over the straps, pushing them down her arms and tossing the material away.

He stared down at her moderate breasts reverently. Reaching out, he cupped them, massaging them with his long thin fingers, making her moan.

Gen could feel callouses sliding roughly over her nipples, peaked and tight. It felt amazing, a rough friction against delicately sensitive skin. She arched into his touch, feeling a growing dampness between her legs.

As if sensing her desire to speed things along, he bent over her, kissing down a line even with her navel. He ran his tongue along the top of her garter belt before inching still further down.

Kneeling between her thighs, he unhooked the clasps attached to her thigh highs. He grabbed on to the edge of her belt, tugging it down over the curve of her 'pretty little ass', as he had called it earlier. He threw it carelessly over his shoulder.

Gen eyed him keenly as he raised her right foot, tugging off her shoe, letting it clatter noisily onto the hardwood, before placing it flat against the side of his chest, toes curled into his shoulder. He ran his fingertips down her leg, hooking them into the edge of the nylon.

He pulled it off, exposing more of her delicate flesh as it went. He ran soft lips along the length of her leg as he pulled, ghosting over just enough to make her breathing hitch.

Reaching her foot, he allowed the stocking to flutter down to the ground as he turned his head, placing a kiss on the inside of her ankle while his hands ran the distance of her newly exposed length, massaging tenderly. He moved just as carefully, just as slowly, as he removed the nylon from her left leg.

Finally, she was left lying before him in only one garment. That was quickly corrected however. Merriel slid his fingertips into the silky material, moving it over hips, thighs, knees, calves, and finally her ankles, still resting on his chest.

He smirked as he pulled them off, tucking them into the pocket of his green cotton slacks. Genevieve flushed.

"What are you doing with those," she asked him as she dropped her feet back to the bed and propped herself up on her elbows. He leaned forward over her once more, bending down to kiss her stomach.

"Savin' 'em fo' later," he told her, looking up along her body before proceeding to run his tongue down to her waist. "Now relax, you said it was your turn."

"Yeah, but you can't just- ooohh." She finished her protest with a low moan as Merriel's lips moved to her lower ones. "Oh God."

He slid his hands around the backside of her thighs so his fingers could caress them along the inside, holding them open to his eager mouth. Gen felt her toes curling into the blanket beneath her as his tongue worked against her. He pushed into her already wet opening and she pushed her hips down to him. One of her hands twisted into his curls.

Merriel chuckled against her, amused by her tugging. He removed his grip from her left leg and replaced his tongue with two of his fingers. Gen gasped at the quick change in sensation.

The tongue on her sex moved up to her bundle of nerves as Merriel's fingers were pumping and curling inside of her, a third quickly being added to the mix.

"Oh God. Yes. Mmm, Mere." Genevieve was panting, feeling a familiar twisting in her belly. Her other hand found its way to his hair, tangling in with the first, holding him to her.

"Please, Mere, don't stop. Oh God, please, yes, don't." Her sentences were short, breathy, and not fully making sense but Merriel was getting the picture.

He began attacking her viciously by hand and mouth, causing her to attempt to clench her thighs together. However, he still had not released her right leg, and he was managing to keep her open to him.

He lifted his face, grinning, and Gen felt a jolt as she saw herself on his mouth. He kept his eyes locked with hers as his fingers moved more intensely.

"C'mon Genny. You gonna come for me? C'mon, just like that girl. Feels real good, don' it? I know you wanna Gen," he told her.

She moaned loudly at his coaxing. "Yes, yes. Just, just a little more, a little more," she begged him. He obliged, dropping his face to her apex once more, sucking on her nerves and scrubbing his tongue over them at the same time. After what felt like a lifetime, she felt his fingers curl inside her, finally hitting her favorite spot.

"OH GOD, YES," she shouted, feeling her body shuddering, muscles clenching of their own volition as he kept working at her in the same place. She tensed up, arching off the bed as the muscles in her legs clenched. When she finished, she dropped back down to the mattress. Merriel moved his mouth back to her opening, licking at the juices that were spilling from her.

"Mmm mmm mmm, sweeter than a Gaw'ga peach," he told her as he pulled his body up, intentionally thickening his accent, knowing that it was something she found pleasure in.

Gen lay there breathing heavily. Merriel laced his fingers and rested his chin atop them at her waistline.

"Well that was fun," he told her lazily.

She raised her head. "You think we're finished?"

He raised an eyebrow at her in surprise.

"We're not?"

Instead of answering, she gripped his elbows, tugging him up. He lifted so that he was on all fours, and suddenly, that predatory gleam was back in his eyes. She scrambled back, retreating to the safety of the pillows.

He followed her slowly, a growl in his throat. Reaching her, he grabbed the edge of the blanket and sheet, and sharply tugged it down. He forced it down behind him with his feet as he leaned down to capture her lips, still on hands and knees.

"Jus' where d'ya think you goin'?"

She smiled at him coyly. "Just runnin' away from you, as usual," she teased.

"Gonna have a helluva ways ta run. Cause I'd follow ya anywhere, girl."

Gen's heart felt light. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she unfurled, pulling him closer to her body while she wiggled beneath him to lie down.

"These have got to go," she told him, nodding to the trousers he still wore, unzipped and unbuttoned, hanging loosely on his hips.

He obliged, shimmying them off, shedding his white cotton underwear as well. He lay down between her legs; spread just enough to cradle him, there were no barriers between them any longer. She could feel his length pressing against her, hard again already.

Gen blushed, always becoming flustered at this point. It was nowhere near as bad as her first time, but she still retained some of her original shyness. The time in between their last encounter didn't help.

Merriel bent down, kissing across her rosy cheeks. "You gotta be jus' about the prettiest damn thing I ev'a seen," he told her.

This; this was the thing she missed the most. The affectionate way he was with her, when he was open and let his guard down, yet he did it in a way that just fit his personality perfectly. It was the only time she felt certain that it was about more than just the sex for him, as it was for her. It was the only time she could really understand what he felt for her.

He moved to line himself up with her entrance before looking her in the eye, a question formed there. She pretended to look thoughtful for a few moments before nodding at him. And then he was inside her.

They both moaned as he slid in fully and easily, her lower regions still slick from her recent release. Genevieve breathed a heavy breath.

"Oh, god, Merriel," she panted, eyes closing in pleasure.

Merriel didn't wait. He began pulling out, all but the tip and then slowly but forcefully pushed back so that his hips hit her own. His eyes were closed, his face screwed in concentration.

She knew that he was working to keep himself calm. It was always the hardest for him when he first felt her all around him, a near total overload of sensation. He had once described it to her as jumping into a hot spring; everything was overwhelming, nearly scorching, until you could adjust to it.

She ran a hand over his back, up to his shoulder, clenching at the tense muscles there. Mere moved above her once more. He thrust with that same intensity, a biting edge of pain to his movements. Genevieve relished it.

That was one of the reasons why she had never been too vigorous in her desire to find a new relationship. She wouldn't have known how to communicate what she wanted, had she had an intimate relation with anyone. But Merriel knew.

**Flash Back**

It had taken her several encounters before she had expressed herself to him. She had been timid, quiet as she lay beneath him, before she had put her hands on his hips, asking that he slow his thrusting. He had raised an eyebrow at her; their first few times together, she had been all but silent, only gasping occasionally and moaning his name quietly.

All the same, he had slowed substantially, looking down at her as she began moving her hips with his while her eyes were squinted closed. After a moment she let out a frustrated groan.

"What," he had asked her, confused. "What's the matta'?"

"I just." She bit her response, embarrassed, but thinking of how he had never been quiet in what he wanted, she ploughed on. "Harder. I, harder please."

He obliged, or so he thought. He brought his hips forward, but held back at the last second for worry of hurting her.

"Harder," she had demanded of him, and he had pushed back at her, moving his hips as though he intended to go through her.

She had gasped then. "Oh God, again," she pleaded. And it had continued on in that way until he had found the rhythm that she desired.

"So, little Genny Rose likes it rough and slow," he had voiced. She blushed, hearing her wants reduced to two words she had never thought would sound so dirty to her. All the same, she had moaned with more enthusiasm as he pushed on.

The only problem they had encountered had been as Merriel held tight to her hip, his other hand beneath her to wrap up around her shoulder, fingers digging in.

She had liked the feel of it, but as he drew closer to his finish, his grips had tightened and it had become too painful, and was only getting worse.

"Merriel, let go, you're hurtin' me," she had breathed out. He had ignored her, thrusting a little faster. "Merriel, stop," she had demanded. Again, he seemed to pay her no mind as he had gasped and rocked his hips above her, pushing a little faster, a little harder.

"Merriel, I'm serious, stop it," she had growled out at him. He chuckled blissfully, unaware of the pain he was inflicting to her soft skin.

"What fo'? You said you like it rough."

"Ow, that hurts. Stop it," she ordered him, a bubble of panic rising inside her and cracking her voice.

She didn't think he'd do anything to hurt her intentionally, but he wasn't listening to her either.

"Oh God, Genny Rose," he had groaned out loudly, hands still tightening into her. "Almost there, Genny Rose." He closed his eyes, still thrusting.

She didn't know what else to do. Fear and pain made her decisions for her as her hand came up, balling into a fist the way her father had showed her.

"OH GOD, GEN," he had shouted, face contorted in pleasure, coming inside her as her fist connected with his nose.

Blood spilled out of his nostrils, dripping onto her chest as he pulled back, reaching up to grab his nose. Gen had swung again, cracking him across the jaw.

"JESUS CHRIST GEN, STOP IT," he had shouted, words sounding slurred as he clutched his face.

"What fo'," she had asked him, imitating his thick Louisiana accent, so different from her own. His voice had never sounded more irritating to her before.

The third time she swung, he had the sense to sit up and lean back further, so that her fist only made contact with his chest.

He had pinioned her arms down to her sides, more blood spilling onto the sheets and her, and then secured them with his knees; she struggled beneath him as he worked to staunch the flow of blood dribbling down his chin.

"What the Hell's the matta' with you," he demanded.

"I told you to stop!" She was mad, shaken, and now a little afraid.

"You said thatcha wan'ed it rough," he had argued.

"But then I said to stop. You were hurting me, and you didn't stop." A few angry tears had escaped her eyes at that point. "Let me up, you slimy bastard. I don't want you touching me, get off."

He had moved to the side of his small bed, not wanting to upset her further, but he had said, "Look, I'm sorry. Now, who the Hell taught ya ta hit like that?"

She fumed. "You are not sorry or you wouldn't be grinnin' you no good son of a bitch."

He forced a somber look on his face as she sat up, grabbing his pillow to wipe the blood away. She only succeeded in smearing it across her chest. She had thrown her hands up in frustration, and begun searching for her dress.

"Look, don't go. I swear. I mean it; I'm sorry."

She sniffled as she paused briefly on the edge of his bed. "You didn't care that you were hurting me. I was scared. I didn't think you'd ever hurt me Merriel," she had given as a reply. "I thought you were raised better."

He had moved around the bed, holding a pillow in front of his lap and a hand to his nose. "Look, Gen, I swear, I'm sorry." He took her hand, allowing the pillow to fall, and looked down at the small fingers his enclosed. She tried to pull it away, but he held it firmly.

"I nev'a meant ta hurt ya. Honest. I just did, and I'm sorry. I do that. I break ev'ry damn thing I touch."

Gen had paused, her heart twisting at the desperate look in his eyes, like a small child begging forgiveness. She shook her head. "Don't ever do that again. Ever."

"I won't, I swear. I won't nev'a, ev'a do that to ya again."

"No," she had corrected him. "Don't do it to anyone. Ever. Not just me."

"Alright. Anyone." He reached up, tracing the blood on her pale skin. "I won't ev'a hurt you-" She eyed him. "Or any other gal again." And he hadn't.

**End Flashback**

Now, hovering above her, he was giving her that specific pleasure he was so good at. He was just beginning to move within her, but already her toes were curling into the sheet beneath her.

Her empty hand moved up, fisting in his curly brown locks. She pulled his face down so that she had brief access to his lips. He grinned at her eager demeanor, eyes still closed.

Her own eyes open, Gen pulled back, transfixed by the muscles that held Merriel above her, flexing as he moved his body back and forth along her body's length. She couldn't help but admire how beautiful he was.

At the same time, she was admiring the way he was pushing her to her limits with each thrust. She moved both of her hands to his face, cradling it gently before sliding her fingers back through his sweat dampened tresses, locking her fingers at the nape of his neck.

"Mmm, Mere, perfect. Keep going," she moaned.

"Wan't thinkin' bout stoppin'," he panted, each word punctuated with a hard drive from his hips. He finally opened his eyes, looking down at the woman before him.

"You so fuckin' gorgeous," he told her, still panting with effort. Those were the sounds that filled their little corner of the world; heavy panting, small whimpers, curse filled compliments, and loud cries to deities above.

Genevieve lifted her left leg, wrapping it around Merriel's waist, draping her ankle over his lower back. However, sweat slicked as they both were, it slid, and she was unable to hold her position. Mere fixed it quickly.

"Sit up," he commanded her, pulling out, eyes glazed, breathing labored. She obeyed, sitting up and kissing across his chest. She took one of his nipples into her mouth, sucking harshly.

"Oh, fuck, what am I gonna do with you," he asked, desire coloring his voice. He reached behind her, piling the pillows against the iron frame. Grabbing hold of her thighs, he tugged her into a reclined position.

Genevieve bit her lip in anticipation. "Anything else," she asked him mockingly, effect slightly diminished as her chest heaved.

"Yeah, I want ya ta lay there, shut up and enjoy the best eight inches of yo' life," he replied. Gen snorted.

"Sweetie, this is not eight inches," she informed him, reaching down to grasp his slick member, making his mouth drop into a surprised 'O'. She indicated the their faces. "This is eight inches," she informed him, referring to their obvious height difference. Gen hid a smile. Merriel was large, but she still had a good time poking fun at him about his size.

"Don't matter if it's eight inches, or four, not the way you moving. Clearly, somethin's doin' right down there," he said peevishly.

"Ooh, hit a nerve," she said sweetly. He just glared before lining himself back up and thrusting roughly into her. She moaned, a long, low sound.

Merriel reached down then, hand hooking behind her knee, pulling it up to hitch around his waist. He kept it there, while his other reached up, grabbing hold of the top of the white, wrought iron bed frame to support his body, knuckles white.

He immediately picked back up where he left off, pushing himself unforgivingly into her opening just to pull back out. Gen was writhing at the new angle. Her toes curled, rubbing against Mere's waistline. He jumped.

"Jesus Christ girl, why didn' you say you was so cold," he asked her, referencing the icy appendage. He felt her other foot as well. "You 'bout ta freeze."

"Who cares," she asked him desperately, only concentrating on his movements.

He dropped her leg only long enough to pull the sheet and comforter up to the middle of his back, tenting their lower halves. And he was back at it.

"You feel so fuckin' good, wanna come right now Genevieve," he informed her as he pumped within her. She whimpered in reply, beyond using necessary oxygen for unnecessary tasks such as speaking.

Her eyes were closed and her hips were moving to meet his so that they were moving in sync. She didn't see when he reached between them with the hand that had been holding her leg up. But she felt it as his thumb started working circles into her bundle of nerves.

"Oh, Jesus," she moaned loudly. She was worrying her bottom lip as her hands came up. One of them grasped the bed off to the side tightly, while the other fisted into her own hair, tugging at the roots in frustration at the proximity of her impending orgasm. It was the only way she could find any release from the building tension in her body.

"Nu-uh," Merriel told her. "Don't wanna muss up that pretty hair," he told her. His hands slid along the length of her arms, fingers tracing her skin lightly. Finding the fingers of both hands, he twined them, holding one to her chest as he continued thrusting. The other he just held down.

"Please, Merriel," Gen cried, feeling her body's tension reaching a new peak.

"Alright," he spoke, more to himself than to her. He brought both of her hands to his head. "Pull it," he demanded of her.

She quickly obliged, tangling and tugging at his roots, hard, making him groan in a pained pleasure. She had quickly realized that in their relations she wasn't the only one that needed an experience that left her aching to enjoy herself.

Genevieve directed his lips to her neck. Mere happily complied, nestling there, bruising the flesh with his harsh ministrations. All the while, he drove into her from above; forcefully enough that he would have been worried if he hadn't know Gen's preferences so well.

She moaned happily before locking her ankles behind him and pulling at his body, attempting to crush him to her.

"You're so far away," she complained. "I wanna feel you on me," she expanded.

Merriel dropped his hips to hers. One of her feet slid over his waist, his tight little bottom, down his leg, to rest near his foot.

His torso, he lowered more slowly, as though he were completing a perfect push up, instilled in his muscle memory from the Marine Corps.

He moaned as their skin met. He loved the feeling of her breasts pressing up into him, having a soft, safe place to finally rest. It had been too long since he had been able to remember what that felt like.

"Betta'?"

Gen nodded quickly. "Yes, yes. Please. Don't stop."

"Whatcha want Gen, whatcha want me to do," he inquired, arms wrapping around her, a hand resting on her neck and her lower back respectively.

Genevieve could have blushed, but all of her blood felt as if it was already in her cheeks. She hated describing what she wanted, but she knew that he would make it much harder for her if she didn't.

"I want you to make me come," she responded, eyeing him fiercely.

He nodded. "Yes ma'am." He began thrusting a little more quickly, and a finger was soon back to her bundle of nerves, rubbing it harshly.

"Oh God yes, just like that, fucking Christ," Genny said, not realizing just how profane her language was. That was just Merriel though; she had the habit of losing her self-control around him.

"You 'bout to come Genny Rose. I know ya are." He did know.

She always screwed her eyes shut, as though looking at him might shatter any progress she had made to her goal. She also began clenching around him, trying to work both of their releases into play sooner rather than later.

"Yes, just, just keep goin'," Gen commanded breathlessly. His hips were crashing into hers forcefully and she felt it as a fire long reduced to embers roared back into life.

One of the hands that had been wrenching his hair moved as if on its own. She raked her nails down his back, holding onto his lower back, pulling at him as he moved.

"Fuck, you a damn animal, ain't cha," he moaned, not slowing, just arching at the stinging that assaulted his back. Her hand was back on his shoulder, claws locked in there as she felt herself reaching her edge.

"Oh God, Merriel," she panted, so close it hurt. She pulled him closer to her, licking across his neck before sucking on his collarbone, marking him, as he had no doubt done to her.

"C'mon, c'mon," she heard him muttering harshly with his thrusting, determined to give Genevieve her satisfaction. His thumb still moved frantic circles over her bundle of nerves, sliding easily from her current slickness.

"God, yes, almost there, almost," Gen moaned into his neck. And then finally, she felt it.

It was as if every muscle in her body contracted while simultaneously attempting to relax. She felt her arms trying crushing the man above her down to her damp skin.

She was clenching and unclenching around his length as it was buried inside of her. She felt so numb as she exploded that she could only lie there, keeping him to her, encouraging him to keep moving.

His release appeared to be just as satisfying. She felt his hot liquid filling her as he came, eyes closed, mouth frozen in unspoken words, arms shaking as they held her close at her reclined angle.

She wasn't aware of all that was going on around her as she came down from her high. All she knew was that Merriel was still above her, stomach clenching and rippling from the effects of his own orgasm.

He finally dropped his weight to her own, and they lay there a few moments, both breathing heavily while piled against the pillows; Genevieve into Mere's hair, and Mere into Gen's neck.

Eventually, Merriel gained enough strength to roll just to the side, after sliding his softening length out of Gen. He kept his arms wrapped around her, but he allowed his head to rest on her heaving chest, kissing the soft skin there.

"That, was fuckin' perfect," he complimented, still breathing with heavy effort himself. His words were slightly muffled as he spoke them into the pale swell of her breasts.

"Yeah, it was," she agreed sleepily, allowing her eyes to drift close as a hand reached up, stroking Mere's chocolate curls.

"Yo' daddy's gonna worry 'bout cha," he offered.

Gen shook her head. "No, I told him that I would be helping Stella sometimes, on account of her mama bein' sick, and that those nights, I would just stay with her so we didn't have to walk home alone. He'll just think it's one of those nights."

Mere gave a little chuckle. "You been plannin' this a while, ain't cha?"

Gen couldn't deny it. "I just wanted you back, as soon as possible, and I wanted to be ready."

"Well, nice job there." He grinned up at her. "So, you wanna do it again?"

Genevieve gave a disbelieving laugh. "Are you serious? I can't feel my toes. I need a minute."

Merriel slid a hand down her leg, caressing the silky skin of her inner thighs. "I think I can put it off for a minute," he told her, his fingers inching higher.

Gen moaned as he slipped a digit inside her opening, gently massaging. She let a small smile slip over her lips, just happy to have him back with her. She memorized how it felt to be in his arms once more after the three long years he had been gone, and recognized just how thankful she was he had made it home.

Merriel looked up, grinning like an amused child as his hand moved, but he hastily pulled it away seeing the tears spilling from Genevieve's eyes.

"Whoa, Genny. Calm down LeRosio, we ain't actually gotta do it again. I was just makin' up fo' lost time. I stopped though, see," he informed her, unintentionally letting just a hint of fear that he had done some unknown damage color his voice.

Gen sobbed as Mere sat up, grabbing her lightly on the shoulders, giving her a gentle shake. "Gen, look, I stopped, what's the matta'?"

Genevieve buried her face in her hands, and rolled, pressing into his chest. "I prayed for this," she told him in muffled speech.

"What," he asked her, not quite sure he understood.

"I prayed for this," she whispered after pulling her hands down and looking up at him with red-rimmed eyes.

Merriel paused. "Alright, I'm lost; whatcha mean you prayed fo' this? What's wrong with that?"

Gen's sobbing didn't stop. "I prayed for you to be back here, with me. You ain't even my husband. You're not my brother, or my cousin, or daddy. You're just a guy I grew up with, but I prayed for you to come home.

"I told God, I didn't care whose husbands, and sons, brothers and cousins he _did_ take, just as long as he brought you back home. You were the only one I prayed for like that. Even Johnny and Carl, I didn't pray for them like that. I told God, I didn't care if they didn't make it back, as long as _you_ did."

She looked up at Merriel with heartbreak in her eyes. "Mere, some of those guys didn't come home. Carl didn't. Brothers didn't, husbands didn't. What kinda person does that make me? I didn't care about anyone else but you, and people died. What if it was my fault?"

"Hey, easy, easy," Merriel comforted her. "Gen, it wan't yo' fault."

"But I _prayed for it_," she told him, devastated. "What if God listened and that's why those people died?"

Mere straightened the pillows so they could be side by side comfortably. After lying back down, he readjusted her in his arms.

"Genny Rose, I'm gonna tell you somethin', and I want you ta hear me good, understand," he asked her quietly but firmly.

Still sniffling, she looked up to his eyes, trying to fight her tears.

"God wan't over there. God didn't give two shits about those islands out there. You coulda prayed for it ta rain down Coca-Cola for all the good it woulda done. God wan't listening and he didn't fuckin' care about us over there. Ain't no prayer you coulda said that woulda kept any of them men alive."

Merriel's eyes were distant as he stared at the faces of fallen comrades, of fallen enemies, and decimated battlegrounds that Gen would never see. He continued.

"Genny, don't you ev'a feel bad 'bout whatcha prayed fo', 'cause you can be damn sure ya' weren't the only one. I'm sure ev'ryone prayed 'bout the war, but the people that knew the boys over there, you betta' believe they prayed 'specially hard fo' the ones they knew. Don't ev'a feel bad 'bout you doin' the same thing as ev'ryone else."

"I still shouldn't have done it," she whispered quietly, staring intensely at his chest. "I shouldn't have done it." Mere climbed out of the bed, just long enough to turn the light off and climb back into his position beside her.

He held her more tightly to him than before, fingers stroking up and down the soft skin of her arm. In one of his rare moments of unguarded affection, he kissed the top of her head before tangling his legs with hers, pulling the covers up and wrapping them both tightly in them.

"Shh, you alright Gen, you alright, and I'm alright. Don't you ev'a apologize fo' what you prayed fo'."

Genevieve wrapped her right arm around Mere's chest, holding him to her. "Can we just stay like this for a while. Please," she asked him quietly.

"'S long as you wanna. I ain't goin' nowhere." He gave a heavy sigh, before kissing her on the crown of her hair again.

Gen breathed deeply, kissing across his chest, eyes closed. Laying her head down, she began stroking his back gently. He reciprocated the motion with longer, calloused fingers. "I think I love you Genny Rose," he whispered quietly before settling in for sleep.

"I know I love you," she replied, just as quietly, speaking into the dark room.

It had been too long since she had felt this; the tenderness that one so rough could show, the affection that she needed. Because she _did _need him, just as he needed her.

They needed each other in different ways; Genevieve needed someone harsh and aggravating to push her to her limits, to keep her toeing the line of 'too much'. Merriel needed someone to take care of him, even if he wouldn't admit it. He needed someone to remind him that he was good, especially after all he had done.

It was their mutual need of each other that had brought them together. And it was the same need that would keep them together for so long after first meeting.

**Please don't murder me. I've never done a one shot before. I didn't know how to close it. I hope you liked it though. I will be writing other chapters that can be read with this one, or alone. Don't know when it will be though. But as a little foreshadow, Sledge will probably be in the next one. Anyways, please, read, review and let me know what you think.**


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